Leopards are fondly known as Africa's very large cats. This animal is mainly nocturnal and can usually be seen in the cooler daylight hours when the sun sets. Their size is of a very large dog. They are not uncommon but they are shy and infrequently seen. Mostly leopards rest in thick undergrowth or up in trees. Leopards are very dangerous animals that come from the cat family.

The scientific or latin name of a leopard is Panthera pardus. Many times people confuse leopards and cheetahs but a few major differences are that the cheetah is of much slighter build and a leopards' head is bigger than a cheetah's. Also, a cheetah has a square snout and a dark "tear mark" that runs from the eye to jowl.

Leopards are at home in forest, woodlands, savannah, semi-desert, uplands and lowlands. They occur in as broad of a range of habitats as man. But, where lions are abundant, they avoid open grasslands. All the large carnivores except aardwolf kill the same prey and also hunt one another. There is a strong hostility between them. For example a leopard's appearance will stir a lion into action but an antelope might arouse little interest. That is why in open places like the Serengeti Plains, where they are no trees to climb or refuge on, leopard are few because of their disadvantage to the far larger lion.

Until around 15 years ago the leopard was believed to be endangered. But after extra effort of looking at night that idea was eliminated because they are nocturnal animals. Now leopards are still occasionally hunted because their handsome, spotted coats are prized trophies.